Another new bit of news... I wonder if Lucent is supplying the gateways, no really mentioned as such...
CG Announces Nationwide IP Telephony
5.9 Cents A Minute Service Available In More Markets Than Any Other IP Telephony Offering
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- ICG Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: ICGX -
news) today announced its
nationwide Internet Protocol (IP) Telephony service for 5.9 Cents per minute in 166 cities across the
United States. Through
the acquisition of NETCOM On-Line Communication Services (Netcom), one of the nation's largest
Internet Service
Providers (ISP), earlier this year, ICG Communications has created a broadband data network
reaching the nation's top
markets, enabling it to offer high-quality IP telephony and data services.
''The recent acquisition of Netcom has enabled ICG to take the lead on IP telephony and we will be
the first company in the
nation to commercially deploy IP telephony equipment in 166 cities across the country,'' said J. Shelby
Bryan, president and
CEO of ICG Communications. ''We will offer our business and residential customers a state-of-the-art
package that includes
long distance service over ICG's IP network for under six cents a minute,'' Bryan said.
Bryan stated that, ''ICG's IP service will be of the highest quality and will be bundled with ICG's local
dial tone, Internet
and data services in many areas.'' Bryan added, ''ICG is unique in the IP telephony field not only
because we have a
comprehensive nationwide network to deploy the service, but also because ICG has the voice
technology and operations
support systems expertise to ensure this service is successfully deployed.''
ICG is planning a rapid deployment of its IP telephony service to 166 U.S. markets by year-end, which
will include other IP
Services such as virtual private networks and IP facsimile. The company's IP service will cover ninety
percent of the U.S.
long distance market and be offered in nearly seven times the number of cities as any competitor. ICG
will offer its IP long
distance for 5.9 cents a minute for calls originating and terminating on its IP network and 7.2 cents for
calls originating on its
IP network but terminating elsewhere. These rates apply to both residential and business customers.
ICG will be partnering
with industry leaders such as Lucent and Cisco to deploy aggressively the state-of-the-art IP telephony
equipment during
1998. The acquisition of Netcom gives ICG one of the nation's largest ISP footprints (238 points of
presence nationwide) to
offer its services. ICG and Netcom will begin to market long distance and IP service to their business
customers as well as
their 500,000 dial-up customers beginning in the second quarter of 1998. ICG's IP telephony service
will be sold over the
Internet and through its inbound telemarketing center. ICG will control the quality of its IP calls by
utilizing its national
control center in Englewood, Colorado.
More and more telcos announcing their desiress.. Who is supplying the equipment????? |
